VIRTUAL MADRID FOCUS ON PEDAGOGY

Abstract

This paper examines how generative AI can be integrated into a PhotoGraphic design curriculum to expand students’ understanding of visual narrative, graphic composition, and the evolving dynamics of creativity. The project took place in an introductory visual communication design studio focused on the expressive potential of form, image, and typography. The thematic assignment—Driving to Campus: A Journey to Wellbeing—asked students to visualize the emotional and experiential dimensions of commuting to the university. Working in small teams, students developed user personas representing different members of the campus community and gathered qualitative insights through interviews. They then translated these insights into individual digital graphic banners using traditional PhotoGraphic composition methods. In the final phase, the class participated in an exploratory workshop introducing generative AI as an extension—not a replacement—of their established design process. Using prompts grounded in their earlier narrative frameworks, students experimented with AI-generated imagery and reflected on how this emerging tool could support or challenge their creative intentions. A concluding group discussion revealed a range of emerging concerns as students compared human-generated and AI-generated forms of visual expression. Their reflections centered on issues of control and specificity in the design process, the effectiveness of prompts and references, representational and emotional limitations of AI systems, questions of authorship and ownership, and broader implications for originality and creative agency.
Collectively, these insights show how integrating AI into studio pedagogy can expand creative possibilities while sparking essential critical reflection about the shifting landscape of design practice.